#15--Breathing Underwater

Bibliographic Information

Breathing Underwater by Alex Flinn. HarperCollins Publishers. (2001).

Price: $19.45 for hardback

Pages: 263 for hardback

Plot Summary

Breathing Underwater is a thought provoking novel that seeks to investigate why physical abuse occurs and what can be done to prevent it. While this could easily have been done didactically instead the issue is examined quite naturally as sixteen-year-old Nick must determine what he did or did not do to drive Caitlin, his beloved girlfriend, to get a restraining order against him. Suddenly Nick finds himself not only without Caitlin and his friends but in court mandated family violence classes with required journaling exercises. While Nick feels isolated and alone he still manages to project the same image he has maintained for most of his life, that of a cool, confident football player with a fairly rich father. No one besides Caitlin knows that his father is physically and verbally abusive driving his mother to leave when Nick was only five. No one knows his father is an alcoholic and Nick spent all those nights at his best friend’s house just to escape him and his violent temper. Now Nick must finally come to terms with the fact that his father’s abusive nature is rubbing off on him making him into just the sort of man he thought he’d never be. Can Nick escape the cycle of physical abuse his family suffers from or will he be trapped in it forever?

Critical Evaluation

Breathing Underwater is certainly a fascinating novel that explores cycles of abuse in families, more specifically that passed from fathers to sons. It’s both disturbing and interesting to learn about Nick’s evolving abusive behavior from his many journal entries. By the end of the novel readers (and Nick) see that he exhibits all the classic signs of an abuser—controlling over his girlfriend’s outings, outfits, friends, and activities, insanely jealous, constantly using insults to keep his girlfriend in her place, etc. Perhaps what is most disturbing is Caitlin’s response to such treatment—her constant tears, begging, and apologies. However, once readers realize that abusive people can be quite charming, loving even, they will be better able to understand Caitlin’s behavior especially when they consider Alex’s frequent comments that he does not value his life if he cannot have Caitlin in it (emotional blackmail). Fortunately, the book has a positive if not happy ending in which readers can hope for a better future for both Alex and Caitlin. Certainly, one of the most admirable elements to the novel is Flinn’s decision to portray both Alex and Caitlin in a sympathetic light enabling readers to better understand why abuse begins and how it can end. Overall, this book makes an excellent and interesting read.

Reader’s Annotation

When the court issues a restraining order against him sixteen-year-old Alex must finally face the fact that he is mirroring his father’s abusive behavior. Can Alex learn to deal with his anger in a constructive way and win back his former girlfriend?

About the Author

Although perhaps best known for her retold fairy tales, Alex Flinn penned Breathing Underwater six years prior to her first retelling. Inspired by her work at the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s office as well as her time volunteering at a battered women’s shelter, Flinn decided to write a novel exploring why domestic violence occurs and how it can be prevented. Her most recent novel set to be published in 2013 is a retelling of Rapunzel entitled Towering.

To learn more about Alex Flinn visit her website here.

Genre

Realistic fiction

Readalikes

Nothing to Lose by Alex Flinn

·         Also about a teen with an abusive father with anger management issues

Ironman by Chris Crutcher

·         Also about a teen with anger management issues who attends anger management classes

Diva by Alex Flinn

·         The sequel to Breathing Underwater

Tags

16 yr. old, abusive father, anger management, boyfriends, cliques, girlfriends, physical abuse, restraining order

Awards Won/Lists On

• ALA Best Books For Young Adults -- Top 10 List and Unanimous Pick
• ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers
• 2003 Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults
• 2003 International Reading Association Young Adults' Choices
• Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Award **Winner**, 2005
• Missouri Gateway Award Second Place, 2004
• Georgia Peach Award 2005 Honor Book
• Broward County Teen Reader Award Winner, 2004 (Ft. Lauderdale, Florida area)
• Publisher's Weekly "Flying Starts"
• Barnes & Noble Best of 2001 for teens
• BookSense 76 pick for July/August, 2001 (hardcover)
• Children's BookSense 76 Pick for Winter, 2002 (paperback)
• ABA Pick of the Lists
• NYPL Books for the Teen Age
• 2003 ALA Selected Audiobooks
• AudioFile 2003 "Best of the Best" audiobooks
• 2002 Children's Literature Choices List
• Cleveland Public Library Celebrate With Books
• Florida Teens Read Award 2006 Master List
• Illinois Abraham Lincoln H.S. Book Award 2005 List
• Indiana Eliot Rosewater Award Master List
• Iowa High School Book Award Master List
• Kentucky Bluegrass Award Master List
• Nevada High School Book Award Master List
• Garden State (NJ) Teen Book Award Master List
• Oklahoma Sequoyah High School Award Master List
• Pennsylvania Young Readers Choice Award H.S. Recommended list
• Rhode Island Teen Book Award Master List
• South Carolina Assoc. of Librarians Young Adult Master List
• Volunteer State (Tn.) Book Award Master List
• Tayshas (Texas) List
• Washington Evergreen Award Master List
• Missouri Public Library Assoc. YASIG "Best of the Best" list
• Protagonista Jove Award winner (reader-selected award in Catalonia, Spain)

The list of awards can be found here.

Professional Reviews

Booklist

Kirkus Reviews (Note: Kirkus lists the age range for this book as 19-20 yr. olds. Not sure why)

Kliatt

Publishers Weekly (starred review)

School Library Journal

Washington Post

VOYA

Booktalk Ideas

Alex Slide into Abusive Behavior

·         Controlling over what Caitlin wears (necklace incident)

·         Controlling over who her friends are (either her or me episode)

·         Jealous (Derek, Saint)

·         Isolating her from family and friends (37)

·         Put downs (calling her fat, “good girl” 154)

·         Limiting her activities (no talent show)

Putting the Spin on Things

·         I make them see how I want to be seen (3)

·         Breathing underwater quote (20)

·         When I realized my family was different (31)

·         No one’s ever said I’m good at anything (214)

Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness

This is an excellent book for those who have abusive parents and/or are dealing with anger management issues. It could also be beneficial for those who have been in abusive relationships with significant others.

Reading Level/Interest Level

Reading Level: 4^th grade

Interest Level: 9^th-12^th grade

These levels are according to AR Bookfinder

Challenge Issues

This book includes the following potentially controversial elements:

·         Cliques

·         Crass sexual references

·         Drunken house parties

·         Hurtful insults about race, sexual orientation, weight

·         Murder

·         Physically abusive father

·         Pot smoking

·         Profanity

·         Racist parents

·         References to sex

·         Single father household

·         Suicide

·         Taking the Lord’s name in vain

·         Verbally abusive father

·         Verbally abusive mother

Librarians can point out that while difficult to read this book very much mirrors some teens’ reality. It can help them heal while helping other teens understand what some of their peers are going through. Additionally, it can help explain how to properly handle one’s anger.

Why Was This Included?

I included this because I wanted to learn more about anger management classes and cycles of abuse.